Philippine Sports News and Updates

FORMER WORLD LIGHT FLYWEIGHT champion Brian “Hawaiian Punch” Viloria won an eight-round unanimous decision over Texas-based Cesar “Gallito” Lopez Sunday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The Filipino-American Viloria floored Lopez with a right hand in the fifth round and went on to score a 77-74, 78-73, 78-73 victory, his second in a row following a long lay-off.

The fight was in the undercard of the huge Kelly Pavlik-Jermain Taylor showdown won by Pavlik by unanimous decision.

Viloria is coming off a win over Jose Garcia Bernal last month in Los Angeles, and Sunday’s victory gives him a ticket for a possible world title crack again this year.

In the same card, World Boxing Organization superflyweight champ Fernando Montiel stopped former World Boxing Association champ Martin Castillo in the fourth round of their scheduled 12-rounder.

In another superflyweight confrontation, World Boxing Council 115-lb champion Cristian Mijares took a split decision verdict over perennial title challenger Jose Navarro.

Viloria, who traces his roots to Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, improved to 21-2 (12 KOs). He is hoping to seal a much-cherished duel with the talented International Boxing Federation champion Nonito Donaire Jr.

Lopez, who dropped to 20-6 (4 KOs), came in at 111.5 pounds like Viloria at Saturday’s official weigh-in.

A former Olympian as an amateur while representing the United States, Viloria gained worldwide acclaim by wresting the WBC crown with a stunning first-round knockout of Mexican Eric Ortiz in Los Angeles in September 2005.